2016 saw a number of rare sports milestones. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series, the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Finals, and the Nazareth baseball team beat Joliet Catholic at Joliet Catholic.

The Cubs are off to a great start this year and Cleveland is currently in the NBA playoffs, so maybe 2026 could see a repeat of both. After all, Wednesday saw the third thing happen for the first time since 2016.

The Roadrunners only got four hits and gave up 10 of their own, but throughout Wednesday’s contest they simply kept finding ways to make plays. They built up a three-run lead and then held on to beat the Hilltoppers 3-2. It was the first time in 10 years Nazareth won at JCA.

“We know anytime we play (JCA) it’s a tough game,” Nazareth coach Lee Milano said. “Their history is top notch and they’ve been winning for decades. Coming here is not easy, and I thought our kids showed poise and resiliency. I thought our starting pitcher and closers did a nice job.”

While Eddie Donnelly ultimately gave up nine hits, he surrendered just one walk and struck out five while keeping the damage to two runs. Closer Christian Drye came in for the final two innings, allowed a walk and a hit, but struck out two and got the final three outs to give Nazareth the win.

Credit the defense for Nazareth (17-4) for making key play after key play with its back against the wall.

“I think we turned three double plays in the infield if I’m not mistaken,” Milano correctly noted. “That’s huge. Our infield defensively is really good. We bent, we bent and we bent but we didn’t break. I think we did a really nice job from that standpoint.”

Neither team could put a run on the board until the top of the third when Nazareth struck. Kam Alikhan sent Gavin Hartigan home on an RBI single to put the Roadrunners up 1-0. Aikhan later scored on a sacrifice fly by Marco Fiore and Bobby Labuda scored on a wild pitch to put Nazareth up 3-0.

The name of the game for Joliet Catholic was missed opportunities. JCA managed to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the second only to get sent off on a double play.

In the third, Derrick Pomatto’s single with runners on first and second saw Evan Wills run for home only to get tagged out at the plate. The fifth saw John Curbis, Pomatto and Steve Martin all hit two-out singles to load the bases, but the Hilltoppers couldn’t get a run across and the inning ended with a fly out.

The Hilltoppers finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth, though. After a lead-off, first pitch single by Nick Koontz, Koen Lynes tripled the next at-bat to send Koontz home and pull JCA within 3-1. Isaiah Ordonez was walked next and Cody Busch grounded into a double play that managed to score Lynes to shave it to 3-2.

Pomatto hit a lead-off single to start the ninth, but the defense turned a double play the next at bat and Drye struck out AJ Perez to end the game and give Nazareth the win.

“The defense was huge today,” Drye said. “It’s a big confidence booster on the mound because you know that no matter what they have your back.”

JCA (8-12) was led by Pomatto’s 3-for-4 effort, and Lynes struck out eight with one hit and one walk in four innings of relief. Starter Jacob Wojciechowski allowed just three hits in three innings, but also surrendered seven walks.

“We just have to start the game a little bit better,” coach Jared Voss said. “I think walks, at the end of the day, hurt us. I thought we outhit them but the walks seem to get you every time.”